One More Holidays
by forgetablelove
Summary: Another lonely holiday for Luna until she meets up with an old classmate.


Luna shoved her long blond hair from her face, accidently hitting her wand that was tucked behind her ear. The wand fell out of balance and slid off her ear, falling out the floor with a small thud. She reached down to pick it up, but her hair just fell in her face again. She sighed.

She glanced around the apartment she lived alone in. There were no presents under her Christmas tree since she didn't have any friends and she felt no need to wrap yourself presents and put them under there just for effect. No one else saw her Christmas tree anyway. Even though it was tall, evergreen, and white lights, candles, and ornaments on it. Her dad was suppose to be coming over for Christmas dinner, but she had yet to wrap his present and put it under there. She saw no reason to since he was coming for two days anyway, if he shows up that is. Her father had a way of getting busy with something for his magazine, the Quibbler, and rarely showed up when he said he was going to.

She had no friends left from her school days at Hogwarts, actually she had no real friends during her school days at Hogwarts. She sighed again, she knew she was looking toward a lonely holiday, just like any other day. Normally she didn't really mind being alone, so was so used to it, but lately it had become a burden. She knew it was because of the holidays because her dad used to let her come home during the holidays and celebrate with her no matter his duties at the Quibbler, and when her mum was alive, she loved the holidays and had make sure that it was a special time filled with family. Now, her dad didn't pay much attention to it since she was no longer in school and a "child."

To her mild surprise, but her dad's predictability, her dad's owl, Oliver, came flying at her close apartment window, she barely had time to open the window before the owl came diving in. As she knew there would be, there was parchment attached to the owl's foot. Giving the owl a treat, Luna took the letter off and read it while the owl flew to her own owl's cage to eat and water itself:

Luna,

I'm sorry to say, but my new lead reporter decided to spend the holidays with his family and that will mean I have to go to Scotland to follow the story, so I can't make it this Christmas. Maybe New Year's?

I love you, baby!

Dad

Luna rolled her eyes and grabbed her wand form her ear. Pointing the wand to her letter, she muttering a spell and setting the letter on fire. Just one more disappointment, just one more lonely holiday.

On a momentary whim, she grabbed her cloak and decided to go to the Leaky Cauldron for a drink.

When she went into the bar, she smiled. The air was think with smoke, the smell of alcohol, and talk from mingling witches, wizards, and other magic beings. She rarely came out, but in her momentary whim, she just wanted some companionship even if it was just a bar full of strangers.

She ordered a drink and sat at the bar, looking around herself. She noticed a few hags in the corner, a few more goblins in other corner, and various other beings scattered throughout. She made no attempt at talking to anyone, but she also made no attempt at looking out of place.

"Luna!" a voice called from behind her.

Luna spun around on her barstool and saw a familiar face behind her. Neville Longbottom smiled at her. "Hello," she said happily, glad to see a familiar and liked face.

In his clumsy, but cute way, he pulled her to her feet and hugged her. His hug was warm, she couldn't remember his hug, but she knew that he had hugged her during their friendship during his last three years of his school days. He had been the only one who had actually liked her, genuinely without an alternative motive like her. And she genuinely liked him even though he was a little strange and ignorant without knowing anything about the strange creatures of the world and hated the Quibbler.

"How are you?" he asked, sitting in the barstool next to her.

"Fine, thank you. Yourself?"

"I'm great!" he said happily.

They talked for two hours about life after Hogwarts. He seemed to have take a job at an aquarium/greenhouse on Diagon Alley. He lived alone and actually rarely saw people from school.

Without thinking weather it was too forward or not, she asked, "What are your plans for the holidays?"

He looked taken back with her forward question but quickly answered, "I don't have any plans. My gran died about two years ago, and now I rarely even talk to the family."

Without realizing she was going to, she reached out and patted his arm consolingly. "I have no plans even. My dad just canceled them."

"Oh I'm sorry," he said, but he was messing with his drink instead of looking at her.

"It's fine," she lied. "I know this is too forward, but what about you coming over to my apartment."

"Really?" he asked eagerly. It was obvious that he was being genuine, so she smiled.

Suddenly the bartender, Daphne Greengrass, called out, "We are closing the bar in five minutes."

"Oh my gosh!" Luna exclaimed, "I have to go!"

She jumped up and headed for the door, but with a second thought, she spun around and called to Neville, "Come over on Christmas at noon, okay?"

He grinned at her and nodded. "Sure."

The two days leading up to Christmas passed by quickly as Luna bought a few gifts for Neville and a few boxes to put under her tree so she didn't look so pathetic. She also bought the makings for a very big Christmas dinner, praying he ate all that she bought, but not wanting to making a big deal about it and send him a letter asking.

At noon on Christmas, with ham cooking in the oven and all the fixings already made, her doorbell rang. Taking off her apron form over her robes, she rushed to the door. Opening the door she looked upon a very fine looking Neville Longbottom. He was wearing dress robes, and she mentally congratulated herself for wearing her own dress robe. He was caring too bags: one that had presents poking out of the top of the bag and one that smelled strongly of turkey. She smiled. She hadn't made turkey.

She wished him merry Christmas and ushered him in. He looked around her apartment, and she realized for the first time that day he was the first one who had ever been in her apartment but her dad. But his face didn't show any disgust or disappointment to he surprise but delight.

After about ten minutes of pleasantries, they sat down to eat at her around set dining room table. The dinner was very finely cooked while the conversation was incredibly casual and light. They strayed away from the topic of families and friends, and Luna had the feelings he was in the same place she was with no friends left from school. It was comfortable, and it was almost strange for her to be so comfortable in someone else's company.

After dinner, they meandered into the living room and sat in her chairs. With a small amount of conversation that was slightly awkward, Neville reached into the other bag and pulled out three packages wrapped in brightly colored wrapping paper and a cute ribbon wrapped around it. She handed him his three packages, too. One of the packages from him contained a new set of dress robes which he said, "you might have to get them fitted," to. Another one of the packages contained a book about weird creatures in England. She loved the book because it meant he remembered her interests. And the last package, which was much smaller than the others, contained a small heart-shaped locket with the letter "L" carved in the face.

"Neville," she whispered.

He grinned at her in his clumsy, cute way. "I thought it'd look pretty on you," he whispered shyly.

"Thank you," she whispered. She stared into his eyes for a moment and realized that the next year the started in exactly a week might not be as bad the years before had been. And it wouldn't be lonely.


End file.
